Android App Ratings & Reviews

Pool Bar HD – Android Game Review

Overview

I always enjoy a good game of Pool whether I’m playing at a bar or on my phone; it’s always a good time. There are a lot of Pool games to choose from in the market, and another one just got thrown into the mix as Future Games of London recently released a title called Pool Bar HD into the market. I’ve played almost every Android Pool game there is, so I had to give this one a go. I can say with confidence that Pool Bar HD is a great looking game, but is it any fun? Read on to find out…

Gameplay

The control scheme is one of the most important aspects in a pool game; no matter how good the game looks if the controls are clunky the game’s a bust. You don’t have to worry about the controls in Pool Bar HD as they’re top-notch and very easy to use. You simply drag left and right to aim, drag the cue back then forward to shoot, and can get a better view of the table with “Free View” mode by double tapping. The camera angle can be changed up to a top view if you don’t like the normal view; I usually alternate between the two to check the whole table. Pool wouldn’t be Pool without putting a little spin on the ball, and you can do that by clicking the cue ball to adjust the English. Anyone who’s played a lot of pool knows that it’s a game of angles, and Pool Bar HD gives you the standard aiming lines on each shot so you can see where your balls are going to fly.

Features

Pool Bar HD is a bit sparse in the extras & options departments, but you do get 3 different games with 4 different players and the option to run solo or two-player with pass & play. The game modes are US 8-ball, UK 8-ball, and my personal favorite 9-ball. Once you pick your game, you pick a difficulty, choose from 1-3 racks, and set your aiming lines to standard or expert. Basically, standard gives you aiming lines while expert takes them away. You can’t really change up the rooms although the felt changes to one of three colors depending on which game you’re playing.

Verdict

Pool Bar HD is a very solid pool game, and it’s easy on the eyes as well. I really enjoyed the whole bar setting down to the flickering neon Pool Bar sign as it gives the game a very cool vibe, and I actually liked the background music a lot as well. The only real issue I had with the game was its lack of features as it would be nice to play in more than one bar. The gameplay itself is great and it’s definitely a game that anyone should be able to easily pick up and play. No trial version is available, but the paid version of Pool Bar will only set you back $0.99 in the Android market.